Jibbsfest round three
by jibbsloversunited
Summary: Erm ... round three of the Jibbsfest
1. Authors' note

Round three of the **JIBBSFEST **is here

Stipulations were as follows:

1: **Vacation**. Cannot be just the word, has to be an actual vacation of some kind, even if it's just a couple days off spent at home.

2: **Flashback**. Hopefully described in detail so that we can see it too.

3: Music. Have to mention either song title and/or artist. Lyrics would be nice, but are not necessary.

4: **Snow.**

5: **Photo** (or photo album). Of either Jethro, Jen, them together, or one of their families. (Not of Frog or someone, but something that gives us insight.)

6: Gibbs has to wear a **Marine uniform** where Jen can see it. It could be a dream, it could be in the flashback, it could be in one of the photos, but it must be where she sees him.


	2. The way you look tonight Verity

**Title:** The Way You Look Tonight

**Author**: VerityFrancesB

--

She paced her study, a glass of red wine in her hand. She had been ordered, more or less, by Gibbs to take the weekend off and he had confiscated her phone so she couldn't answer or make any calls. She was irritated, irritated at the fact that she was irritated. She should be enjoying her precious solitude, something that she rarely got nowadays. Instead, she was pacing, the snow falling softly outside her window doing nothing to calm her. She glanced out of the window, for a second wishing that she was a child so she could go and make snow angels and catch snowflakes on her tongue.

She sipped at the wine, feeling the warming dark red liquid sooth some of her irritation. She had to admit that she had been working too hard recently, and the weekend off would do her the world of good. She placed one of her favorite CD's into the player and pressed play, letting the gentle sounds of the piano and the wine calm her. She sat on the couch and picked up the photo album that lay on the coffee table. They were all old photos of more carefree times, but enjoyed looking back over them; they bought her a sense of achievement at how far she had come. They also made her slightly wistful, wishing for less pressure and sense of duty than she had now.

Her fingers stroked a photo in the album, her stomach doing a small flip at the sight of it. It was of Jethro, dressed in a Marine uniform, her brow wrinkled in thought as she tried to remember why he had been dressed like the. She smiled at the memories of him spinning her around a dance floor, pulling her to him possessively, looking every bit the Marine and his wife that they were pretending to be. In the photo he was looking down at her as she smiled into the camera. She started slightly at the look on his face, his expressions were usually so guarded, but he was gazing at her with what could only be described as longing. He hadn't looked at her like that for a long time and she had to admit that she missed it.

--

"_**I love a man in uniform." She cocked her head to the side giving him an appreciative stare. He returned her stare with his glare and she smirked. **_

"_**It's not funny Jenny, I thought I was done wearing this." He tugged at the collar of the jacket as if it was constricting his breathing.**_

"_**Come on Jethro, it's for a good cause." She smoothed the fabric on his shoulders and straightened his collar. He reached for her hands and placed a kiss on one of her palms. **_

"_**It would be for a good cause if we actually were the people we are pretending to be, but we're not, so my idea of a good cause right now would be staying here and you taking advantage of your love of uniform." He waggled his eyebrows and she playfully hit him. **_

"_**It's not just the uniform; it's the man in the uniform. Anyway, we're going, so quit stalling." She grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the door of the hotel room.**_

_**The ballroom of the hotel had been decked out in the most extravagant decorations. She grabbed two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter and handed one to Gibbs.**_

"_**You are dancing with me later." She threatened as he took the glass. **_

_**She broke away from him to talk to some man that was making eyes at her, though he couldn't really blame him. The green silk dress that was barely held up by tiny straps, perfectly complimented her eyes, and her cleavage. She practically twirled around the room, making all the men stare at her, Gibbs was trapped between loving the fact that she was going home with him tonight and hating the fact that everyone was looking at her. She made her way back to his side as the gentle sounds of a piano rose through the room. She looked up at him, her eyes bright with mischief. **_

"_**You're dancing with me." She said. **_

"_**Now?" He asked.**_

"_**Now." She grabbed his hand and pulled him onto the dance floor as the first lines of the song started, the smooth voice of Tony Bennett echoed around as people paired off onto the dance floor. **_

Someday, when I'm awfully low

When the world is cold

I will feel a glow just thinking of you

And the way you look tonight

_**His hand rested on her lower back and pulled her to him whilst hers rested on his shoulder. She looked up at him and he smiled easily. **_

"_**Let's show them how it's done." He said, as he started gently moving with the music. **_

Oh but you're lovely, with your smile so warm

And your cheek so soft

There is nothing for me but to love you

Just the way you look tonight

_**He spun her out and pulled her tightly back to him, reveling in the way her body fit neatly next to his. **_

With each word, your tenderness grows

Tearing my fear apart

And that laugh that wrinkles your nose

Touches my foolish heart

_**She let out a carefree laugh as he dipped her low, leaning down to cover her mouth with his, cutting of the light laughter with his lips. **_

Lovely, never, never change

Keep that breathless charm

Won't you please arrange it?

_**He pulled away and she smiled up at him, he lifted her back up and spun her into one last twirl, mesmerized by her dress spinning out around her, her hair catching the light. **_

Cause I love you

Just the way you look tonight

Just the way you look tonight

"**It's rude to stare." She whispered, slightly breathless, as he pulled her back in. **

"**I can't help it." He replied and he leant down and kissed her gently. **

--

The knocking on the front door didn't register for a while. It was only when the shouting started that she realized that someone was trying to get in.

"Christ Jen, would you let me in? It's freezing out here." She wrenched the door open to a cold yet amused looking Jethro, snow in his hair and on his shoulders. She resisted the urge to kiss the flakes off his cheeks and stood aside to let him in.

"You know, you should really think about leaving your door unlocked, its so much easier…you ok?" He asked, "You look distracted."

"I am under forced house arrest Jethro, of course I am distracted…you took my phone." He just smirked at her and pulled the photo out of her hands.

"Distracted by this?" He asked, amusement coloring his tone. She glared at him as he studied the photo. "Aaah, the charity benefit, what a good cause." He grinned at her over the top of the photo and dodged her playful slap. "I seem to remember you didn't get to take advantage of the uniform."

"That's because we were working."

"Oh…well I am sure I have got something back at home that would suffice, I can go and get it if you want?" He grinned at her, she rolled her eyes. She cocked her head to the side, giving him the same look she gave him all those years ago and slowly walked towards him, winding her arms around his neck.

"I never needed the uniform, Jethro."


	3. Ashes Morgan72UK

**A/N** - So, things you need to know - well, the music is **Sarah McLachlan - Dirty Little Secret**. I am not sure the flashbacks exactly qualify - but hopefully you'll forgive me. Also, well - I always wondered what Jen did after _Bury Your Dead_.

--

**Ashes**

She'd forgotten how the snow changed the quality of silence – gave it depth and timbre. Or perhaps it had been easier not to remember; there were a lot of things in her life like that. She pulled her coat tighter around her – glad of its warmth; since despite the glare of the sun on the frozen snow it was cold. She reached for the hot chocolate she'd brought out to the deck with her, wrapping her hands round the mug, soaking up the warmth. Knowing it was more than likely that she'd brought the chill with her.

She hadn't been here in years – wasn't sure she'd ever intended to return, though she'd been no more able to sell the cabin in the woods than she had the house in DC; and the memories in the house were far worse. But the last time she'd been here she'd been weak, her body suffering from the injuries her journey back from Cairo had exacerbated, her mind not yet ready to deal with the ramifications of a mission gone very wrong. She'd come here to come to terms with that narrow escape and her body had healed – though perhaps more slowly than she'd liked.

She almost smiled when she remembered how she had assured the Doctors in Cairo that she was going home to be taken care of by her family, how readily they had believed that she had a family to go home to. Ziva had known differently of course, but at the time she'd had problems of her own to deal with and had let her leave, trusting that she knew what she was doing.

Now, over four years later when she'd needed a place to retreat to – even for a couple of days, she'd returned.

She wasn't going anywhere near the slopes, her detail had protested enough at the news that she intended to spend her 2 day vacation in a cabin in New Hampshire where there was no space for them to stay. They'd found a way around it – of course, because that was their job. She was sure they were less than delighted to find themselves parked at the bottom of the path to the cabin and sleeping in an inn in the village. But on the list of the people she'd pissed off lately her security detail came well below the CIA, Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs and his team.

She wasn't ready to think about Jethro – though she knew she would have to; she'd come here to face her demons and he loomed large amongst them. But not yet, the sun hadn't set on the day yet – and she needed there to be shadows and darkness to face what haunted her.

But the day slipped away, as days have a tendency to do and before she was ready the darkness and the cold drove her indoors. She poured herself a glass of wine and paused, knowing she was delaying the inevitable.

The fire crackled in the grate, casing flickering shadows across the room. The shadows that she'd sought, that she understood. The darkness wrapped around her like a blanket, comforting at times, stifling on occasion. But she knew she couldn't escape from it; it had become part of her long ago.

She fiddled with her ipod – looking for some music that fitted her mood and then succeeding just a little to well as Sarah McLachlan slipped through the cracks in the silence – whispering across the room.

She let the words wash over her, hating herself for being affected by the sadness of the lyrics – knowing she should find something angry and loud to play instead – but not able to turn it off.

_**Their telling secrets that should never be revealed**_

_**There's nothing to be gained from this**_

_**But disaster…**_

Well, that was appropriate – her latest adventure had almost ended in disaster. She made herself think back to the moment in MTAC when she'd watched Tony's car explode and told herself, 'no more'. She'd come here to end this and that was exactly what she was going to do.

The file was waiting for her – she'd been carrying around for a while, not able to let it out of her sight. She curled into the corner of the couch – willing herself to go through with this.

_**I've been up all night drinking**_

_**To drown my sorrow down**_

_**Nothing seems to help me since you went away**_

_**I'm so tired of this town.**_

It was easy at first; feeding papers into the fire – letting the flames devour them. She knew that there would be an electronic trace, that she was by no means covering her tracks – that wasn't exactly the point. What she was doing her was more symbolic – a letting go of the past.

Every page was evidence of her obsession, parts of a jigsaw she had put together in her pursuit of a man that had brought her to the edge of disaster. He'd almost destroyed her – still she didn't understand why Gibbs had stopped her from killing him. She knew he'd been angry with her for involving DiNozzo in her undercover operation. He could have just left well alone – let her do whatever she had to, she would have faced the consequences of her actions.

Her fingers strayed over the faces of her parents, smiling broadly for the camera as though they didn't have a worry in the world. Perhaps they didn't – then. One last touch and then she dropped the picture into the flames; letting it burn with the rest.

She could see him in her study – pointing out her tell, a glass of bourbon in his hand and her father's scotch on the desk behind them. And then later, after the explosion – the pain of his expression when they'd thought Tony was dead. Her doing.

The team would get DiNozzo through, she knew she'd have to find her own way – she was good at that.

She looked down at a photograph of her father, taken the year before he died. People said she looked like her mother, they'd whispered it after her mother's death – as though the knowledge would be too painful for her to bear, or perhaps they had worried that drawing attention to the resemblance would upset him too much. But as she'd grown older she'd realised that it meant very little which parent she looked like – because it was clear that she was her father's daughter. Still, the photograph slipped through her fingers – into the fire.

If she burnt them they couldn't hurt her.

The last items were the hardest. She poured herself another glass of wine, glad that she wasn't drinking bourbon – she'd drunk too much bourbon lately.

Two pictures remained; one taken in Paris, the other she'd stolen - a lifetime ago. Both were of the same man. In the first Leroy Jethro Gibbs squinted for the camera – Pont Neuf and the Seine visible over his shoulder. She wished she could say that she'd carried the photograph half way around the world with her, or kept it with her throughout all of the missions she'd undertaken without him. But the truth was less poetic – she'd taken it with her when she'd left him in Paris but she'd sent it back to DC, along with her other possessions because she hadn't been able to stand having it with her, hadn't been able to forget what it reminded her of.

It didn't matter now. She cast it to the flames along with other memories – because whatever she wanted, whatever she'd believed at the time, he hadn't loved her. He hadn't ever loved her.

Over a year ago now he'd woken from a coma and called her another woman's name – that terrible secret tearing down everything she thought she knew about him. She wasn't surprised that he'd married Stephanie so soon after her departure all those years before, she understood now. She didn't want to think that he might have told his ex wives about Shannon and Kelly – but she knew he had, knew that she never even been as important to him as the women he had married – after Shannon.

Tears glistened in her eyes – the way they had all those months ago when she'd realised just little she'd mattered to him and she looked down at the last photograph. Jethro, in uniform, years before he'd known her, when he'd been married to Shannon – although she

hadn't known that when she'd stolen the photograph from him.

She let her eyes slide shut – letting the kaleidoscope of images play before her eyes – a stifling hot attic where they'd made love for hours during the day and then watched the freighter all night. A farmhouse in Serbia where she'd slept in his arms – letting him make her feel safe. Countless squad rooms and more than a few hospitals until finally there had been a hotel room in Paris, where their desperation for each other had consumed them.

She had to let this go – let it all go. She could be his boss, his former partner – perhaps one day she could even be his friend; but not with this between them. She could make it go away, she was good at that, let the image slip into the flames and turn to ashes before her very eyes; as she should have done years ago. But she was tenacious, her worst enemy could attest to that - if he was still alive. Some things, some things she held onto – even when she shouldn't.

Her fingers tightened on the image – for a moment she thought about keeping it as a reminder, or a warning. But she saw his eyes following Colonel Mann across a room, remembered his soft smile as he looked at the woman in his life now and knew she didn't need a photograph to remind her of what had never been hers.

The End


	4. Future perfect Ilovenascar

**Author**: Ilovenascar

**Title**: Future perfect

--

Jethro Gibbs looked out the window, his cell phone in hand, calling the number he'd long since memorized. "DiNozzo."

Tony watched his little girl play in the yard, throwing snowballs back and forth with her mother, grinning as he watched how happy they were. "Yeah, boss."

"Jenny and I are going to stay here an extra day. I don't want to try to drive with the roads iced over." If it was just him, he might try it, but he didn't want to do anything to put Jenny in danger.

"Sure thing. I don't think anything's going to happen today." He wanted to ask how the vacation was going, but had finally learned not to intrude. "Call if you change your mind."

Gibbs nodded, although Tony couldn't see him, knowing it was Tony's concern for their safety, not being nosy, that caused his last statement. "I will." He hung up, walking outside.

He opened his wallet, looking at one of the three pictures he carried, the one of Kelly when she was a baby. To say he was scared of becoming a father again was an understatement. He realized how easily he could lose the child he and Jenny might have, just like he could Jenny, but it was important, not just to Jenny anymore, but to him as well.

--

Jenny walked into the hospital room, seeing the burns on his face and arms, seeing his arm in a sling, but he looked better than she'd expected. "Hey."

He opened his eyes, touching her face. "Hey."

They'd been fighting before he'd been hurt, come to a crossroads again, this time because she wanted a baby and he didn't. Nothing mattered though as she bent her head and kissed his lips. "I'm sorry."

"No."

She nodded. "Never apologize. It's a sign of weakness."

He shook his head. "No, Jen. It's my fault." He paused. "I want to have a baby with you." He put his hand on her stomach, imagining their child growing inside her. "I want us to be a family."

--

Things never turned out that simple. All energy not spent being director had been totally focused on getting pregnant. Sex had become scientific, stressed, especially when she started taking some sort of temperature he didn't even try to understand, along with rules for both of them, fertility treatments. She was driving herself crazy and they'd been trying for just three months. He was thankful for the long weekend, a chance to get away, and had arranged a trip to a cabin by the lake, out of the city, hoping it would help, and it had. She was relaxed for the first time in months and, whether or not that was good for having a baby, he knew it was good for her.

--

Jenny was smiling, remembering the first case she'd worked with Gibbs, when he'd had to go undercover as a Marine. She still remembered the way the dress blues looked on him as they danced at the ball, protecting the then-director from an assassin's bullet. They'd always fit together just like a glove, like they were an extension of the same person. The feeling still lasted, even over a decade later.

_Well, you had me from hello. I felt love start to grow. The moment I looked into your eyes, you won me. It was over from the start. You completely stole my heart and now you won't let go. I never even had a chance, you know. You had me from hello_.

--

The radio was on in the background, having left the weather forecast and now playing music quietly. Jenny woke up and heard it, smelling the aroma of freshly made breakfast, just toast and ham, but more than they'd had many mornings, in many countries. He walked over to her, carrying two plates, sitting down on the bed next to her, him drinking coffee, her hot cocoa.

_If you should wake up and catch me watchin' you sleep and I break the silence by kissin' your cheek. I whisper somethin you don't understand. Don't make me repeat it, I don't know if I can. Oh, I'm just a man, that's the way I was made. I'm not too good at sayin what you need me to say. It's always right there on the tip of my tongue. It might go unsaid, but it won't go undone. So when those three little words come so easy to you, I hope you know what I mean when I say, 'me too_'

**You Had Me From Hello was written by Skip Ewing & Kenny Chesney. Me Too was written by Chuck Cannon & Toby Keith.**


	5. Unforgotten ncisali

Stipulation 1: Vacation

Author: ncisali

Title: Unforgotten

--

Jethro and Jenny have been married for just a couple of weeks, so far they've had no arguments and have settled into a comfortable routine, while still keeping that aura around them that all newly weds have.

Jethro can't believe how lucky he is, Jenny has a strong personality and is able to stand up to him and argue her point if need be but she's also all woman, she can drive him crazy with desire with just a look or a smile.

Jenny has similar feelings about Jethro, she's head over heels in love with him, he's the best lover she's had and the best man she's ever known. All she wants from her life at the moment is to be with him forever.

Mornings are great.

Jethro wakes first with Jen in his arms he gets up without waking her and goes for his morning run. On his return Jen is in the shower, he quickly strips and joins her.

'Morning Jen' Jethro nudges Jen out from under the spray and snakes his arms around her, smoothing his hands up and down her body, kissing her neck and face.

'Jethro. Jethro I'm trying to wash my hair'

Jethro doesn't stop his foreplay and Jen as usual reciprocates soon they fulfil each others needs and Jethro leaves the shower to let Jen finish off, he goes down stairs to prepare coffee and breakfast.

As Jen joins him at the breakfast table she smiles up at Jethro 'I wonder if we'll ever start the day in a different way'. Since they've been married they have had morning shower sex every day.

'I hope not but don't you have to be away for a few days next month'

'Please don't remind me – I'm going to miss you'

'Not as much as I'll miss you', Jethro pulls Jen to him and starts kissing her again.

'Come on Jethro, we're going to be late'

On the way to work Jethro suggests a short vacation much to Jenny's surprise.

'Why don't we take a long weekend – I'll take you back to my home town, we can stay with my Aunt'

Jen looks at Jethro surprised, 'I didn't realise you had any relatives Jet'

'Just my Aunt – my mother's younger sister. We can spend some time together before you have to go away – it's not that far, we can easily get in touch with the agency if an emergency arises.'

'I think it's a great idea I'll organise things and we'll go away next weekend'

Luckily Jethro's team do not pick up a case and Jen and Jethro leave Washington to stay with Jethro's Aunt Joan. They arrive in his home town late on Thursday evening. She is waiting for them on the porch and Jethro greets her with a kiss and a hug.

'You've been away to long Jethro, I've missed you.' She turns towards Jenny, 'Hello, my dear. Welcome to our family.'

'Thank you Miss Johnson' Jenny replies

'Call me Aunt Joan you're family now.'

After a cup of coffee and some small talk they all go to bed. The next morning Jethro as usual wakes early but he does not get up immediately, he lies in bed looking at Jenny sleeping, one of his favourite sights. Jenny stirs in his arms, 'Morning Jen'.

Jenny stretches under the covers and looks up at Jethro and whispers to him, 'Morning lover'

Jethro smiles, and knowing Aunt Joan will not disturb them uses the time to make love to his wife. After a while Jen says' Is there a shower here?'

'God Jen, you're going to kill me'

'Are you getting old, marine?'

'Not too old to keep you satisfied'

After showering they go downstairs and Aunt Joan already has breakfast ready.

'I'll show you round the town today Jen – there's not much to see though. Is there anything you want, aunt?'

'No thank you Jethro but I do have a few things I'd like you to do round the house if possible now you're here'

'Sure just let me know what you want me to do'

Jethro and Jenny spend the morning walking hand in hand around the town, they make their way back to Aunt Joan's for lunch.

After lunch Jethro starts some of the repairs Aunt Joan wanted him to undertake, while he does so she takes Jenny into the living room.

Jenny is looking round the room and sees a couple of photographs of young men in uniform – she looks at these more closely one is definitely Jethro at about age 18 or 19 the other looks a lot like Jethro but she doesn't know who it is.

Aunt Joan sees her looking and says, 'You'll recognise Jethro that was taken when he completed his marine training he was so proud. The other one is his older brother Thomas he was 10 years older than Jethro – he was killed in Vietnam when Jethro was just 9 years old.'

Jen looked at Joan and went to sit next to her 'Jethro's never mentioned his brother to me, it must have affected him a great deal.'

'Yes it was a difficult time for all of us, it's one of the reasons he joined the marines – he promised Thomas before he left for Vietnam that as soon as he was old enough he'd join the marines and that is exactly what Jethro did'.

The two women are silent for a few minutes and then Aunt Joan goes to the sideboard and gets out a photo album and gives it to Jenny to look through. Jenny turns the pages slowly seeing Jethro as a boy and teenager, a good-looking child always smiling at the camera.

Aunt Joan looks at Jenny and says 'Jethro was very close to Thomas despite the age gap his death hit Jethro hard, he hasn't had much luck what with Shannon and Kelly also being killed. But I can tell you're going to be good for him the only thing I would ask is that you look after him. He's not always as tough as he looks'.

Jethro was stood outside the living room when he heard these words, he was immediately taken back to the day he heard of Tommy's death.

**He was walking home from school with his friends, the walk had taken longer than normal as there had been snow on the ground and a lot of time had been spent having snowball fights. As usual Jethro came off the best in the fight he had been hit by only one or two snowballs while the snowballs he'd thrown had found their target with great accuracy.**

**When Jethro had finally arrived home he turned to his friends yelling that he'd meet them tomorrow on the hill with his toboggan.**

**Jethro was proud of that toboggan he'd helped his Dad make it and it was the best.**

**He opened the door shouting a greeting, 'Mom…..Mom I'm home'. There was no sound, he walked into the kitchen to find his Mom and Dad sat at the table with a man in uniform he didn't recognise. **

'**Mom, Dad ..?'**

**His father turned towards him 'Jet, Tommy's dead he was killed two days ago, shot on patrol'.**

'**NO, NO He can't be dead, he can't, he's coming home, he promised to help me repair that old rowboat for the lake this summer. He can't be dead.' Jethro runs to his mother for comfort, she takes him in her arms hugging him tightly, he can feel her shaking and hears her sobbing gently while she tries to comfort him'.**

Jethro brings himself to the present and walks into the living room, Jen looks at him and as he meets her eyes he stops briefly, the look she's given him is not one of pity but of love, it takes his breath away. He bends down to kiss her whispering 'I love you' before taking a seat opposite the two women.

'We'll take you out to dinner tonight Aunt, I noticed Luigi's is still open', Jethro looks over at his Aunt

'Good idea, his son run's it now – I'll make a reservation'

Whilst getting ready for dinner Jethro does not mention his brother or talk about other members of his family, Jen knows Jethro will only talk when he's ready and that time may never come.

That night after returning home from the restaurant they go straight to bed, Jethro's lovemaking was very impersonal, although Jen gave him what he needed she felt that she could have almost been anyone as far as he was concerned, recalling his brother's death had obviously affected him more than he cared to admit.

The following day Aunt Joan sends both of them on a picnic, Jen helps her prepare the food and they're soon walking in the woods towards a small lake. It is a glorious day and after setting down the basket and laying out the rug Jethro suggests skinny dipping.

'What if someone comes along?' Jenny is not so sure

'Jen, no one is going to see us come on, please' Jethro is already stripping and running towards the water.

Jen takes another look round and decides to join him taking off her clothes she approaches the waters edge slowly.

'The waters cold'

'Suck it up'.

Jen takes a deep breath and ducks under the water swimming towards Jethro. She surfaces and reaches out to hug him, he returns her embrace and they're soon playing around in the water. When they start getting cold they get out of the lake and lie down in the sun to dry.

'Enjoying yourself Jen?

Yes, it's lovely here thanks for bringing me'

After eating the husband and wife doze in the sun until it's time to make their way home.

Aunt Joan has prepared dinner and once they've cleared up they retire to the living room. She looks over towards Jethro 'Do you remember the evenings we used to spend here when your mother and father were alive?' she turns towards Jenny 'We used to listen to Frank Sinatra and his mother and father would dance to their favourite song 'Strangers in the Night'. Aunt Joan puts on a record and Frank Sinatra's voice fills the room.

Jethro gets up and pulls Jenny to her feet, he takes her in his arms and they dance slowly to the music.

Strangers in the night exchanging glances  
Wondring in the night  
What were the chances wed be sharing love  
Before the night was through.

Something in your eyes was so inviting,  
Something in you smile was so exciting,  
Something in my heart,  
Told me I must have you.

Strangers in the night, two lonely people  
We were strangers in the night  
Up to the moment  
When we said our first hello.  
Little did we know  
Love was just a glance away,  
A warm embracing dance away and -

Ever since that night weve been together.  
Lovers at first sight, in love forever.  
It turned out so right,  
Strangers in the Night

Jen leans her head on his chest revelling in the moment, she has learnt a lot about Jethro this weekend and if possible she loves him even more. She whispers in Jethro's ear 'I love you Jethro, we'll never be strangers in the night again'

Sunday morning comes, Jethro and Jenny go to church and afterwards Jethro visits the grave of his brother and parents. They decide to leave for home immediately after lunch, Jethro packs the pick up truck as Jenny says goodbye to Joan. 'Thank you for a lovely weekend'

'Your welcome, remember to look after yourself as well as you look after Jethro.'

'I will'

Jethro gives his aunt a hug 'See you again soon'

'Don't stay away so long next time. I like Jenny. Bring her back soon'

On the journey home Jenny thinks about the weekend, she has learnt a little more about her husband, although he still hasn't spoken about his brother's death he has shown her a little bit more about himself. Allowing her even more into his life and his past. She leans across to kiss her husband on his cheek and lightly squeezes his leg,

'Thank you', she says.


	6. Didn't we love Alex Cabot

Jethro Gibbs turned around, stopping in his tracks as he was made to leave the Director's office, as he heard Jenny calling him back.

"Remember Jethro, you have got plenty of leave stacked up. Even after your margarita safari." Her mouth twitched a little at the corners, fighting back her trademark smile. The one Gibbs had fallen in love with years ago.

"Trying to get rid of me, Jen?" He replied, his less than serious words covering up what he was really feeling.

"No, Jethro, if I had do you think I would've accepted the role of Director of NCIS knowing full well that you work here?" She asked, but Gibbs assumed it was rhetorical and waited for her to continue. "I just think you could do with a break, it's been an eventful year."

"That is has." Gibbs agreed. He looked properly at Jenny; it appeared to him that it was her who needed the vacation time rather than him. "You deserve a break too, Jenny." He said softly.

"And leave the agency high and dry? I don't think so, Jethro, but a girl can dream." She replied.

"Was that everything?" Gibbs asked, preparing to leave again.

"Yes." Jenny confirmed, watching as he silently left her office, shutting the door after him. She sighed, placing her elbows on the desk and resting her head in his hands. Gibbs was right, she did need a break but that wasn't possible just now. Was it?

When Jenny returned home late that evening, she found an envelope sticking out of her mailbox. Curiously she took it out and studied the envelope. It simply said 'Jen' on the front meaning it could be from one person and one person only. Going inside and out of the cold November evening, Jenny sat on the stairs and opened the envelope. When she did out fell a photograph and she wondered if it would be another one of her and Gibbs outside the farmhouse in Serbia. She was wrong. It was a photograph from their only trip that could be classed as a vacation and not an operation; when they went skiing in the alps. The picture had been taken during dinner at the hotel they were staying in. Her long red hair was curled and fell to her shoulders and she was wearing a figure hugging black dress. It depressed her to think of the toll the job had taken on her appearance. No wonder Gibbs had chosen to have a brief fling with Hollis Mann. She self-consciously touched her cropped hairstyle before letting her eyes settle on Gibbs. He was wearing his marine uniform and Jenny felt herself swoon just looking at the picture. Just seeing him wearing it made her remember why she had fallen in love with him in the first place. In the photograph his arm was wrapped securely around her waist and she was resting her head against his shoulder. It made her eyes prick with tears just to think about how in love they were and the state they were in now. She looked inside the envelope and found an note.

'_Jen,_

_You need a vacation too. The Alps, you and me? What do you say?_

_Love, Jethro.'_

Jenny smiled, wiping stubbornly at the one tear that had dared to fall.

As she went to the kitchen to make dinner for herself, she turned the radio on. As she took the chicken out of the fridge and began to chop up some vegetables the words of the song floated towards her and she found herself reminiscing.

_Quarter moon, always makes me think of you_

_Are you thinkin' of me too? When you see it shine_

_It's kind of sad; But I'm smiling, Imagine that_

_Cause we're lucky to have had what we had - even for a time_

_Didn't we set the nights on fire_

_Did ever a flame burn any higher_

_Wasn't it so sweet? Wasn't it?_

_Didn't we love._

As the song ended Jenny knew that she had to go and see Jethro. Putting the dinner of chicken, vegetables and rice into two containers, she picked up her keys and headed straight for Gibbs' house. When she got there only one light was on and the front door was unlocked. Stacking the containers on top of each other, she headed inside and down to the basement where she knew he would be.

"Hey, Jen." Gibbs said, without turning around from where he was sanding the boat.

"Hey, have you eaten? I've brought dinner." She told him, putting the containers down on an available surface.

"Thanks, Jen." He smiled, abandoned his task and headed over to her. "I take it you got my message then." It was a statement, not a question.

"I did, and Jethro it's not that I don't want to come with you, I just can't. It's not possible." She explained, handing him a container and a fork.

"Surely NCIS can spare you for a weekend?" He reasoned.

Jenny sighed. "I wish. I hate that you're right, but being a field agent made life so much easier." She smiled.

Gibbs laughed too. "Just say you'll try and get the time off."

"I'll try." She assured him, as they tucked into their dinners in companionable silence.

When Jenny had gone home, Gibbs went back to sanding his boat, taking occasional sips from the mug of bourbon beside him. It was the first time since the impulsive decision that he was actually wondering whether he and Jenny going away together after all this time would be such a good idea. He pushed the doubts aside, nearly eight years had passed since they had ended their relationship and they had successfully worked together for two. Could they really just stay 'ex-partners' when they were miles away from work in a place which held so many memories.

"Jethro, I don't think this is such a good idea." Jenny mumbled from the top of the slope.

"Oh, come on Jen, we've travelled Europe hunting serial killers and yet you can't ski down one small hill..."

"Small?" Jenny replied incredulously. "It's practically a mountain!"

"You'll love it, seriously." Gibbs promised her.

Jenny sighed.

"Fine. But if I break something...you can sleep on the couch for the rest of the week."

Gibbs smiled at the memories now convinced that it was a good idea. He just hoped Jenny would fight to get the time off.

Jenny returned home in two minds, desperately wanting to go back to the alps with Jethro but also knowing it was impractical and the job should come first. She ran herself a bath, still thinking the whole situation through. When the tub was filled and the water was at the right temperature, Jenny undressed and climbed in, leaning back and letting her thoughts drift.

"Okay, I admit it." Jenny said, when she and Gibbs returned to their cosy hotel after a tiring but fun day on the slopes. "I really did enjoy that."

"I'm glad." Gibbs said.

"Don't you dare say I told you so." Jenny said, kissing him softly as they waited for the elevator.

Gibbs held his hands up in surrender. "Wouldn't dare. I'm still worried about you making me sleep on the couch!"

Jenny laughed. They stepped into the elevator as the doors opened and pressed the button for their floor.

When they entered their own suite, Jenny headed straight for the bathroom and turned the hot taps on. Gibbs smiled seductively at her.

"Room in their for two?" He asked.

"Of course." She called and Gibbs followed the sound of her voice. Finding Jenny already in her underwear bending over the tub. Gibbs breath caught in his throat, she looked so beautiful, so natural.

"Hey," She smiled, standing up and going over to Gibbs, placing her arms around his neck and leaning up to kiss him.

"I love you Jen, you know that right?" He said, his voice close to her ear.

"I love you too, Jethro." She replied, slipping out of his arms and turning off the taps. She turned back to him, her green eyes burning with desire. "But you might have to remind me."

Gibbs grinned back, shedding his own clothes and following her into the water.

It was enough to convince her. As she towelled herself dry and got ready for bed, Jenny knew that she would do whatever it took to get her weekend away with Jethro Gibbs.

Three weeks later, Jenny and Gibbs were on the way to the airport, neither of them spoke as the taxicab navigated it's way through the busy streets. It was early Friday evening and the two of them had until Tuesday morning to be back at work. Jenny wondered if just one weekend could change anything between the two past lovers, she was happy to be proved wrong though. When they finally boarded the plane, Gibbs took Jenny's hand without any prompting and she was touched that he remembered how much she hated flying. She supposed she had made it pretty obvious on the many past occasions they have been on planes together.

"Hey, Jen." Gibbs prodded her awake as the plane began to come into land at the airport. "We're nearly here."

Jenny slowly opened her eyes and yawned, she couldn't believe she had slept the whole way there. Clearly she had needed a break more than she had realised. She blushed.

"I'm sorry Jethro, I've been awful company already!"

"No, not at all Jen." He smiled, pleased that she had been able to get some rest. "I won't take it personally anyway."

He laughed.

Jenny laughed too, swatting him playfully on the arm. For the first time in a long time she felt herself relax.

"It's just like I remembered!" Jenny said, stopping outside the hotel and dropping her suitcase onto the stone steps.

Gibbs stopped behind her and looked up at the building, Jenny was right it looked just as it had the last time they had been there. Although the one obvious difference this time was that Gibbs had booked two separate rooms for them, something that hung heavily and awkwardly in the air between them. After they had checked in at reception, they waited for the elevators. The two people who had stood talking, laughing and kissing while waiting for the elevator to arrive were just ghosts now. They stepped inside the elevator car and were silent as it ascended. When the doors opened on their floor they awkwardly said goodbye. Jenny inserted the keycard into her hotel room door and pushed the door opened. She dumped her suitcase on the floor and threw herself onto the bed, inhaling the fresh scent of clean sheets and letting her tears fall.

Jethro Gibbs felt it in his gut; he had been in this room before. Nine years had passed since he and Jenny had last been to this hotel but he was sure this was the same room they had stayed in. Convinced of it, in fact. He hated to think of her in her own room, alone, further down the corridor. He knew it was foolish to expect one weekend away to change things between them. Time had passed, maybe just too much of it to ever go back to how they once were. He went into the ensuite bathroom, running the cold tap and splashing water on his face. As he reached for a clean towel he caught sight of the gleaming bathtub in the corner. Memories cascaded over him of sitting in that tub with Jenny, defrosting after long days on the slopes. He quickly rubbed his face dry and reached for the hotel room phone, dialling the number for Jenny's hotel room.

"Jen," He said when she picked up. "Are you hungry? Dinner is on me." He told her, hanging up before she could argue with him.

Jenny sighed, picking herself up off the bed and confronting her reflection. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying and her face was pale and puffy, not to mention her short red hair was sticking up in all directions. Just looking in the mirror made her wonder why Gibbs still cared for her, maybe he still saw the ambitious young redhead she used to be, the same way she saw the Jethro Gibbs from all those years ago. She went into the bathroom and turned the shower on, while she waited for the water to heat up she looked through her suitcase for something to wear. Gibbs knocked on her hotel room door just before seven, and after spraying a little perfume and grabbing an evening bag, she went out to join him.

"Hey, you look good Jen." Gibbs commented, they seemed to be slipping back into their old roles rather than the constant game they played as Director and Field Agent.

"Thanks." Was that a blush she felt creeping up her neck towards her cheeks? Surely not. She looked properly at Gibbs now; he really didn't look bad either. "So do you." She replied.

They walked towards the elevators again and were soon seated across from each other in the hotel's dining room. The waiter had brought them a bottle of their finest wine and Jenny swirled the blood red liquid in the glass as she looked across at Gibbs. The hazy light from the candles made the years disappear from his face and it was like being in a time warp.

"Something wrong, Jen?" Gibbs asked, his blue eyes sparkling across the table at her. He startled her and she quickly gripped hold of the wine glass to stop herself from spilling it.

"No," She assured him, giving him a small grin. "Just reminiscing."

He smiled back. "You know what's strange..." He began but was cut off mid-sentence when the waiter arrived to take their orders.

Jenny laughed, ordering for Gibbs when his French failed, his languages had always been atrocious and had landed them in trouble countless times.

"And for your husband?" The waiter asked Jenny in French.

"Oh, he's not my..." She said at the same time that Gibbs also protested. The waiter gave Jenny a knowing smile before taking Gibbs' order from her.

"I'd forgotten how good the food is here." Gibbs said, wiping his mouth on a napkins after swallowing the last mouthful of their dessert course.

Jenny smiled. "Coffee?" She suggested.

"I've got my own stash back in my hotel room, if you care to join me." He replied.

Jenny felt her breath hitch in her throat and the room suddenly grew warmer. She knew she should decline but to hell with it.

"Okay." She agreed, as they got up from the table. She felt increasingly nervous as the elevator sped towards their floor; she fiddled with her jewelled evening bag. Gibbs watched her, the corners of his mouth twitching close to a smile. She followed him along the corridor towards his suite, knowing that she still had time to back out and head to her own room and the paperback novel that was waiting for her. But her heels seemed to lead the way towards Gibbs hotel room as if she was destined to be there. He opened the door and stepped back to let her in. All of the rooms in the hotel were probably built with the same layout but there was something about this room, she felt it as soon as she walked inside.

"Jethro, is this..." She tailed off when she saw him nodding.

"It's what I wanted to tell you at dinner." He confirmed.

Jenny smiled. "Coffee?" She asked, eager to clear the sexual tension that was mounting. She wasn't sure she could handle another two years of trying to rebuild what they had now.

"Anyone would think you were trying to change the subject, Jen." He teased. Damn, he knew her too well.

While Gibbs made the coffee, Jenny awkwardly perched on the edge of the bed, trying to block out the memories she had of this room, of this bed, of her and Jethro together. She was reawakened from her reverie of the past by Gibbs holding out a mug of coffee for her.

"This is good." She replied.

Gibbs grinned. "What else did you expect?" He perched on the other corner of the bed and drank from his own coffee cup.

The silence seemed to stretch out between them and Jenny knew she should say something, she just didn't know that exactly.

"Jenny," Gibbs began, and she knew that he was serious; he only ever called her 'Jenny' when he was. "You know I didn't bring you out here just for a vacation, don't you? If I had we could've gone somewhere closer to home, but I wanted to bring you somewhere which holds memories for us." He took Jenny's mug from her hands and placed them both on the sideboard, out of the way.

"Jethro," Jenny began but he wasn't finished yet.

"I didn't know how else to tell you, Jen, but I'm still in love with you. I thought being with Hollis meant I could move on and date other women but I can't, whoever I end up with I'm going to compare them to you."

"Jethro," Jenny said, again, reaching out to take his hand this time.

"Being back here has already brought me so many memories, and that photograph, we had it all Jethro, and now we only have the shards of that love. I want us to try again." She said, not sure where the words were coming from. They were the sentiments she had longed to share with him since that moment in MTAC over two years ago.

Jethro smiled warmly at her. "So do I, Jen."

She leaned over and closed the gap between them, placing a soft kiss to his lips. He pulled her closer, supporting her neck with his hand. The familiar room seemed to envelope them as feelings from long ago were finally free to rise to the surface and they both realised that it was true, you couldn't run from the past forever.

Didn't we set the nights on fire

Did ever a flame burn any higher

Wasn't it so sweet? Wasn't it?

Didn't we love.

- 'Didn't We Love' – Tamara Walker.


	7. Check yes A'serene

Okies - here we go with the next set of criteria for JIBBSFEST

**Title: **Check Yes

**Author: **A'serene**  
Rating: **K+

**Song: **"Check Yes Juliet" by We The Kings

**Disclaimer: **I don't own NCIS.

**--**

She was listening to the radio as the snow fell down against the house; it was about the only thing that was functioning properly. The heat was on the fritz, the surround sound speaker system wasn't hooked up properly, and she had burned the popcorn in the microwave. This was supposed to be her vacation, days she had decided that it was about time the Director of NCIS had a break. So where did she go? Home, home to fix all the little things that needed to be done around a house. Not for the first time she wondered if it wouldn't be better to just sell the townhouse and find a loft apartment, but then the memories would come to her.

This was her house, it had memories, it was a safe haven, that although it had been violated on more than one occasion she still felt good coming home there, even when she managed to get to her bedroom which hadn't happened in at least a week. The couch in the living room was sure worth the money she paid for it. She had started lots of little projects that she was determined to finish on her few days off. One being a scrap book, which probably wasn't the best way to occupy her time and the numerous paper cuts she was sporting certainly suggested it wasn't the safest. She had made one for her childhood, withheld her tears as she found one of the few pictures of her father and her mother along with her, _and the dog, Sport_, she thought sadly. The dog had been a Christmas present, and had been her childhood companion. The second scrap book had her college years, people she hadn't seen in years, just a card on their birthdays or a present for a wedding or new baby. The last page had had a photo of her three best friends and herself at what she thought was a Horse Race, all dressed in finery with large hats and below it a second photo, one of the girl's had gotten married and they were all in the party, in the exact same pose. The difference between the photos were extraordinary, she had already become the director by the time the second photo was taken, she no longer looked the carefree young woman she had been so many years ago.

The third scrap book, she had been a little worried to make, but in the end it probably was the best idea for her sanity. Having photos hidden all over her house of a time that she often thought back to but could not mention, was probably not the best idea and so putting them all in one place and then hiding it seemed much better, _locking it in a safe sounds even better._ She had searched all over the house, finding the photos and putting them in a pile. His face stared back at her and she began to place the photos in the scrap book with little annotations, when a song came on the radio that had her glancing at the device.

_Check yes Juliet  
are you with me  
rain is falling down on the sidewalk  
I won't go until you come outside  
check yes Juliet  
kill the limbo  
I'll keep tossing rocks at your window  
there's no turning back for us tonight_

Memories of a time where she had had few things to worry about came back to her as the lyrics filled the room. There had been a time where she had played Juliet and had gone wherever her Romeo led, those days were long gone, but every now and then it was nice to remember.

_lace up your shoes  
A O A O ah  
here's how we do_

_**She was sitting on the cot in the room waiting to hear if the cost was clear or not. She could not believe how stupid she had been. Of course she had been trying to prove a point and now she was stuck. Sneaking in to targets homes and then having the targets return unexpectedly was not part of the plan. She was sure Jethro must be laughing and mentally chiding her, if he wasn't worried. Which knowing her lover, either were very possible. The room she had managed to hide in seemed unoccupied and had a window that faced the street, which she thought odd for a prison room, but maybe because it a story up it didn't matter. She had been stuck in there for at least two hours as she heard the movement around the house, she seriously hoped it wouldn't be too much longer. **_

_**A noise closer to her distracted her, it sounded almost like rain along the window and as she looked out she noticed it was raining. Just great, she thought, now I get to walk home in the rain, if I ever make it out of here. Jethro was not going to be thrilled with her. Something else muffled by the rain caught her attention and she studied the window. Sure enough a black spec hit it, making a plunk against before bouncing off. She crept closer to the window careful to keep her face away from it. She glanced down and to her surprise found her lover on the street, chucking rocks. **_

"_**Jethro," she hissed from where she was trying to stay quiet and at the same time be heard over the rain. He looked up, waved slightly, and gestured for her to come down. She rolled her eyes.**_

"_**Come on Jen, there asleep just sneak down the back stairs."**_

"_**Are you nuts?"**_

"_**Come on I've got your back," he said softly. She sighed, knowing it was at least the truth. She nodded and carefully closed the window before moving back to the door. She peaked outside and took a deep breath before moving silently through the house. She slipped past the room avoiding all the creaky floor boards. She made it to the door carefully and quietly pulling it open and slipping out. She pulled it closed and felt a hand on her shoulder and tensed immediately wondering if she could reach for gun before they shot her. "Hey."**_

"_**Don't ever do that!" she scolded. "You scared the hell out of me." He took her hand and pressed a brief kiss to it.**_

"_**You scared me, let's go before they come back from the perimeter check," he said and they moved off down the street, only to spot the bad guys. They turned around a corner into another street and ran.**_

_run baby run  
don't ever look back  
they'll tear us apart  
if you give them the chance  
don't sell your heart  
don't say we're not meant to be  
run baby run  
forever will be  
you and me_

They had run for what seemed like hours, she remembered with a slight smile. It probably wasn't such a good idea for her to be thinking on this. That certainly hadn't been the last time they ran for their lives, but it was a bit more memorable, and when they had reached their hotel, he had told her just how worried he had been and she made it up to him in the best way imaginable.

As a flush crept into her face she banished the thoughts from her head. _Defiantly shouldn't be thinking about that,_ she scolded herself. She glanced back down to the photo pile and found a large portrait of the two of them decked out in splendor. He was wearing his Marine Uniform, another part of another undercover operation, one she had enjoyed. Leroy Jethro Gibbs looked good at any time, but there was something about him in uniform that forced her heart to beat at unnatural speeds and her thought process to become very constricted. She was in a blue gown to match his uniform but it wasn't incredibly flashy, though if she remembered correctly he had enjoyed taking it off. Her cell phone vibrating caught her attention and she turned to it. _Gibbs Cell_. She sighed; it was too much to hope that he hadn't destroyed her agency in the few days she had taken off.

"Yes Jethro?" She answered the phone irritated.

"Ah Director, how is your vacation?" he inquired sounding calm.

"Jethro if there isn't a terrorist attack, I'm trying to enjoy the very few precious days I have off."

"Should have gone away."

"Not all of us can take margarita safaris when we feel like it, some of us just get to stay home."

"Yea about that, do you think you could let me in? It's a bit cold out here."

"Let you in where?"

"Your house Jen, front door is locked so is the back and its really cold," he said throwing in a bit of whine to make it believable.

"My house?" She echoed looking around, it wasn't like he didn't know where the spare key was, or could pick the lock.

"Yea I'm standing right behind you." She glanced just over her shoulder and jumped slightly as she noticed his hand tapping the window behind her.

"You're an idiot." She hung up the phone and decided it wouldn't hurt the window went almost all the way to the ground; he could get it if she opened it. He was smirking at her and she held out her hand to help him through when he tugged slightly and it was she who went stumbling closer. "Don't you dare."

"Come on Jen, you've got to see this."

"I don't have a coat!" She said even as she began to step over the ledge. "This is ridiculous."

_check yes Juliet  
I'll be waiting  
wishing, wanting  
yours for the taking  
just sneak out  
and don't tell a soul goodbye  
check yes Juliet  
here's the countdown  
3...2...1... now fall in my arms  
now they can change the locks  
don't let them change your mind_

She wasn't however prepared for the ice and sliding, straight into him. He caught her carefully, and helped her stand, handing her, her NCIS jacket from her office. He helped her into it and grabbed her hand tugging her around the house. She followed somewhat willingly her feet freezing as she realized she still on had on flats.

"See I thought of everything," he remarked as he pulled a baseball cap over her head. She gave him the Look, and he laughed. They walked for a bit and he brought her over to a setup ice rink in the middle of her street.

"What is this?"

"Well I saw it on my way over here, apparently some kid got it for Christmas or something, looks like fun right? I bribed the kid," he informed holding out two pair of skates.

_**l**ace up your shoes  
A O A O ah  
here's how we do_

"You're joking?"

"Nope, come on, it'll be fun. I know you can skate so don't even pull that one." They sat down on a bench and laced up the skates. He held out his hand and they walked onto the small rink. She tested it out slowly, taking a few gliding steps before getting the feel of it again. After about twenty minutes conversation became necessary.

"I feel ridiculous."

"No one's looking, and I won't tell Cynthia."

"Of course you won't, how is poor Cynthia?"

"Poor Cynthia?" Gibbs echoed seeming somewhat hurt.

"Yes poor Cynthia, how much do I owe her for being stuck with you again?"

"You know I resent that," he teased.

"And how is my agency?"

"Its fine, you aren't supposed to be thinking about work, you're on vacation remember?"

"Jethro, you'll be on desk work if the FBI isn't speaking to us again."

"Note taken," he replied.

"So why the skates?"

"Well I heard you were cooped up all day, figured you might be bored, and the road is icy, so I was kinda hoping you'd let me crash on your couch?" He inquired playfully.

"Because we're such good friends and all?"

"Right." She was almost positive there was an ulterior motive there, but she wasn't sure what. She did however notice it was getting much colder and the snow was coming down harder.

"I think it's time to go." He nodded and helped her off the rink. They sat down and put back on the street shoes.

_run baby run  
don't ever look back  
they'll tear us apart  
if you give them the chance  
don't sell your heart  
don't say we're not meant to be  
run baby run  
forever will be  
you and me_

"Race?" He asked. She judged the distance between her house and the rink noticing she could run through the snow part and she was probably faster if she put her mind to it. So she just took off. He caught her just as she was rounding her house and they went sliding on the patio as it was ice covered. Grabbing for the sturdiest thing, they both brought the other to the ground.

"Okay not the best idea," she groaned. She painfully got up as he did the same and they moved back toward the window. She slipped in and moved out of the way as he followed her and closed the window behind him. The radio was still playing as she set about trying to get the fire to start. He immediately noticed how cool it was in the house.

"Something wrong with the heat Jen?"

"Yes, and no I don't know what."

"Well how about the hot water?"

"That still works, you know where the shower is," she said as she concentrated on getting the wood to light.

"I was thinking we could share, so the hot water doesn't run out," he suggested. She looked up rather surprised. She leaned back on her heels for a second and starred at him.

"Jethro, where's your car?"

"Uh…dead, Ziva dropped me."

"And she couldn't take you home?"

"Wrong direction," he said. "Besides I do have reports to give you."

"What if I'd had guests?"

"You didn't." She couldn't argue that point, but the fact of the matter was that he would have to have known that ahead of time, and that she would even be home. She could have disappeared for a bit, she still had her car, even if it wasn't starting, Gibbs didn't know that,_ or did he?_

"You know I could take you home," She reminded.

"You car can't drive in the snow and I haven't seen it, which means it's in the garage because you can't start it." She hated the fact he knew her that well.

"Tony would have taken you home."

"Hot date, or so he said when he bailed about seven," he paused knowing she wouldn't need that much encouragement, unless she thought he planned the whole thing. "Besides its good I came here, I can fix the heater tomorrow, most likely and in the meantime you won't freeze to death."

"I wouldn't freeze to death anyway."

"Blankets don't keep you that warm, body heat is the best." She stood to her full height as the fire finally came to life and met his eyes dead on.

"You've had better lines."

"It wasn't a line, it was a scientific fact."

"Says who…." She was cut off as the lights flickered and then went black. "Oh you can't be serious." She could still see his form in the faint fire glow but everything else was pitch black. He had turned to the window to look at the neighboring homes and lights, all of which were dark as well, suggesting it wasn't a fixable problem at the moment.

"The street's dark."

"Guess body heat is a good thing now," he teased.

"You should probably sit close to the fire so you don't catch pneumonia," she said shortly grabbing a blanket and handing him one, wrapping another around her own shivering form and scooting as close as she could to the fire.

"So what have you been up to?"

"I was enjoying my vacation," she sighed. He muttered something, she wasn't quite sure what but she did notice his attention returning to her desk that she could just make out. _SHIT. _She saw him reach out for the folder containing the three scrap books and pile of pictures. "That's classified," she tried.

"Your baby pictures are classified?" He questioned amused looking at the first scrap book. "Cute baby, guess you always had red hair, huh?"

"Great, fine, fantastic, can you please hand them back over." He flipped pictures again and noticed the beautiful redhead that was holding the small Jenny tightly.

"Your mother?"

"Yes." Her voice was small and Gibbs knew that he probably shouldn't push it; strangely it was one of the few things he did know about her past, her mother had died when she was little leaving her to the care of a busy father and nannies. He flipped to another picture to find a baby sitting in portrait position with both Jenny, her mother, and father. The mother didn't look that well.

"Jenny?"

"What Jethro? Find my teenage photos yet?"

"Uh…not exactly. I didn't know you had a sibling."

"I don't," she answered shortly. He flipped ahead a few pages and didn't see any more photos of her mother or the baby.

"There aren't any more photos of them."

"She died just after that, he did to." He knew that was all he would get out of her and so just simply placed his hand over one of hers in a small sign of support and comfort and continued to flip through the scrap book. He tried to find a happier image to ask about but just kept flipping till he reached one of Jenny looking a bit more like the Jenny he knew and saw her decked out in a gown fit for a princess.

"What's this?"

"Prom, Senior Year." He studied the image, _no way that's her at eighteen. _

"You don't have one of those flower things."

"Corsages?"

"Right."

"No, i didn't have a date."

"You didn't have a date?" He asked incredusoly.

"No I didn't, no one asked."

"Ah I get you're joking."

"No, I wasn't asked to go to prom by anyone."

"Scared of your father?" And really he could understand that, but he thought back to his teenage years, if any of the girls he dated looked like that he would have risked their father's wrath.

"No," she answered laughingly more than able to read his surprise and shock. "I just wasn't well liked."

"Whatever you say," he responded still in disbelief. He looked over her graduation picture and then moved to the second one. "Ooo College."

"Okay, you can give it back now," she ordered.

"Oh it's just getting interesting." He read the notes and observed the pictures. "Jen you weren't in a sorority were you?"

"No Jethro," she replied amused. He skipped the pictures with the other guys, rapidly and was soon at the end of that one, starring at the last page, the last photo containing a picture of the Jenny he knew.

"This wasn't taken that long ago."

"No it wasn't." She pointed out people in the photo, explained it was a wedding, he was in Mexico then, she only went to the ceremony and reception for a brief time before getting back on the plane to DC. He didn't know why he'd never considered that she had friends, of course she would, she just never mentioned them. He was slightly distracted as she made to grab both the scrap books and he tried to prevent it. She only got away with the college one. "Will you please hand me that one?"

"Why?"

"Because I asked nicely?"

"Come on Jen, I want to know what the post college Jen looks like."

"You're looking at her. Now can I have it back?"

"No."

"Please?" He ignored the protests and opened it, surprisingly himself when he recognized everyone in the first picture. It was their team right before they went to Europe.

"Ducky looks so young," he said in amazement. She rolled her eyes and made to reach for it again. But he held it out of her reach. There were individual pages for the individual people, only he didn't have one, he was slightly upset by that, but quickly realized that it was because the rest of the scrap book was them. Both of them, together, some at official events, others just taken on the streets by someone while they were working and others had to be taken by friends. He starred at them for a moment, as memories came to him from every place he hid them.

At the end he found the photo he'd left her when he went back to Mexico after helping out Ziva, as well as a photo of him in his Marine Corp Dress uniform and her in a flowing blue gown. He wouldn't deny they were a good looking couple and he vaguely remembered what it had been for; he did remember the dress not staying on very long once the doors closed. The last photo in the book he'd never seen before and he studied it in detail, it was toward the end of their relationship, but none of the fighting seemed present. They were laying out together on the beach, Ducky had been to take a walk that much he remembered, and they had taken the brief time to cuddle. Things hadn't been going well, but they were desperate for the other's attention and had curled up next to one another, Jenny resting along his side, her head on his chest, his arms wrapped around her. They were both looking up at the clouds, in a stillness he couldn't imagine them ever having.

"When was this taken?" He inquired by way of asking who had taken it.

"September, 1999," she answered. "Ducky gave it to me a year or so ago, said he was spring cleaning, thought I might want it. You were in Mexico; I have two copies if you want one." She said getting up and opening the top drawer of her barely visible study.

"Yea, that'd be nice," he replied hesitantly. "Nice snap." She handed it to him their fingers brushing sending shocks through them. He was surprised at how cold her hands were and with his free hand reached out and grabbed her hand. "Your hands are cold."

"Product of being outside so long, I think I should probably change."

"Yea," he agreed but tightened his hold on her hand. "Hey Jenny what was the name of the song that you were listening to when I came over?"

"I don't know it was just on the radio, I can look it up later, but seriously Jethro I'm cold, you can come and take a shower if you want."

"I don't have anything to change into."

"Maybe your clothes will dry in that time," she retorted already knowing what she'd just dig out of her closet. He followed her upstairs to her bedroom, her figure luring him on.

"You know how exactly are we going to take showers without the power?"

"Didn't think of that," she answered shining the flashlight on the stairs so they didn't trip. "You can at least dry off," she suggested handing him a towel. He went into the bathroom lit some candles for light and dried off. She knocked softly on the door.

"I've got a sweatshirt you can wear," she called through it and he heard her place something at the ground. He opened the door a minute later giving her time to retreat. He found a pile of clothes, sweatshirt, tee shirt and sweat pants. He looked at the size, they were too big for her, but they were his size and they were men's judging by the cut. He glanced them over finding the familiar NIS written down the side and the tee shirt, a shirt he bought in Paris. The sweatshirt was also his, but had her distinct scent. As he pulled them in, he caught movement out of the corner of his eye and noticed she was pulling a shirt on, her back bare of and bra. He gulped and moved back in getting changed quickly, before knocking and telling her to be decent, he was sure he heard a mutter 'not like you haven't seen anything.'

"Jenny," he called and found her curled on her bed with extra blankets and candles far enough way to not light anything on fire and close enough to give light.

"Hm?"

"Uh nothing," he said as words fled, she was curled on her side of the bed, her eyes closed. "You okay?"

"I'm freezing!" He sat down on the opposite of the bed and watched her eyes widen slightly.

"What are you doing?"

"Move over a bit would you, and don't hog the sheets," he warned. She stayed in place. So he pushed her himself and enjoyed the squeak of surprise that came from her lips. He stretched out and closed his eyes. "Night Jen."

"Humph," he heard her muffle curse and felt her turn over away from him. She fell asleep, or at least he was pretty sure she was asleep within a half hour of silence.

After an hour she turned over, he had only been dozing by then but felt the movement and opened an eye to check on her, asleep still. He could feel that she'd curled up into her self, until her cold feet hit his legs. Even in sleep she looked puzzled and rather than wake up she took it as is and simply tried to curl her legs around his. That in turn brought her body closer to his and as if sensing the heat she curled in closer, he felt her settle again and closed his eyes. He was asleep within minutes his arm curling around her holding her closer to him, soaking up her heat as she soaked up his. Sometime early in the morning he was woken again by something against the glass of her window. He felt her stir against him, her head somehow having found its way to his chest. He felt her tense momentarily and ran a hand along her back and she relaxed being to sleepy to really care how they'd ended up in bed together.

"Hm…what's the noise?"

"It sounds like hail."

"Hate storms," she mumbled.

"I know," he whispered soothingly. She snuggled closer.

"Cold."

"Power's still out, it'll be really cold in the morning, but we've got extra blankets."

"Hm…kay," she mumbled again.

"Hey Jenny?"

"Hm?"

"I liked your scrap book."

"Thanks," she yawned still mostly asleep, he concluded.

"And I liked that song."

"Reminded me of Paris," she said her voice husky with sleep.

"Yea, remember afterwards?"

"Uh huh, Hollywood kiss," she yawned again and he was glad she was still somewhat asleep but he could feel the change in her breathing as she became more awake.

"Can I kiss you like that again?" He felt her shift positions at the one and opened his eyes to find her green ones peering back in the faded candlelight.

"Jethro are you awake?"

"Yes."

"Good," she replied and leaned down and kissed him, she pulled back just as quickly and he blinked wondering if he had dreamt that or if that had happened. Her soft smile and messed up hair was enough to convince him it was real.

"So what do you say Juliet?"

"I think you need to find some better lines Romeo," she teased softly.

"And that kiss?"

"Sure." He kissed her again and again, and a third time just to be sure. She was smiling widely by then and sleep seemed to be the furthest thing from their minds.

"One other thing .."

"What?"

"Where did you get the sweats?"

"Borrowed without returning," she teased - kissing him into silence. He didn't protest.


	8. Found Ilovenascar

**Title**: Found

**Author**: Ilovenascar

Post-_Lost and Found_

--

Jenny Shepherd placed the photo of herself and Jethro face down, not wanting the memories. There were too many memories lately, of the child, the relationship that she'd never wanted, never even dreamed of their meaning, until it was too late. She knew what had happened between her and Gibbs, but was no longer so sure that it was what was best for her, regardless of what she might say. Without even looking at the picture again, she remembered the night it had been taken, one of their first cases undercover together, posing as a married couple, Gibbs a Marine officer, her his doting wife. There had been a ball that night, Gibbs in his dress blues, dancing with her, their bodies moving as one, unsure where one left off and the other began. It was perfect, a perfect night, a perfect time for both of them. What if, all along, she'd been wrong? What if the job wasn't what was best for her? What if it was Jethro. Maybe even a family of their own?

--

Jethro Gibbs got in his truck, every intention on going home before the light falling snow turned into something worse. He waited a few minutes for the heater to start working, a Brad Paisley song coming on the radio as he rubbed his hands together to fight the cold.

_Well I'll never forget the first time that I heard that pretty mouth say that dirty word. And I can't even remember now what she backed my truck into, but she covered her mouth and her face got red and she just looked so darn cute that I couldn't even act like I was mad. Yeah I live for little moments like that._

He could remember Jenny's "wreck", one of the first weekends they'd spent together, back when they were 'just partners'. He'd been trying to teach her how to build, but needed more lumber. At the same time, he'd been trying to teach her how to drive like an NCIS agent, like he did. As DiNozzo would have said, it was the perfect storm. She'd backed the tailgate into the brick of the lumberyard building and the word had just come out. He hadn't been able to do anything but laugh, earning him a dirty look, which made him laugh all the harder.

_Well that's just like last year on my birthday, she lost all track of time and burnt the cake. And every smoke detector in the house was goin' off and she was just about to cry until I took her in my arms and I tried not to let her see me laugh. Yeah I live for little moments like that._

He remembered the first meal she'd ever cooked for him. She wasn't a gourmet chef by any means, but she could manage normal, simple 'homestyle' meals like hamburgers or macaroni and cheese, biscuits, things like that. The problem had been that she wanted everything to be perfect, wanted to make the restaurant-quality fancy five-course dinner. Instead, she'd nearly burned her kitchen down and they'd ended up eating Chinese food on the floor in her living room. It might not have been what she planned, but he didn't think it could have come out any better if it had been.

_I know she's not perfect but she tries so hard for me and I thank God that she isn't 'cause how boring would that be? It's the little imperfections; it's the sudden change in plans. When she misreads the directions and we're lost but holdin' hands. Yeah I live for little moments like that._

He knew he got angry with her a lot when she wasn't what he thought she could be, but the truth was that her unpredictability and stubborn streak were two of the things he loved most about her. The little imperfections were the reasons she was who she was, the reasons he loved her so much, even if they drove him insane at times.

_When she's layin' on my shoulder on the sofa in the dark and about the time she falls asleep so does my right arm. And I want so bad to move it 'cause it's tinglin' and it's numb, but she looks so much like and angel that I don't wanna wake her up. Yeah I live for little moments. When she steals my heart again and doesn't even know it. Yeah I live for little moments like that._

He remembered a 'vacation' they'd taken, although he wasn't sure if it could be called a vacation when they were on run from the law and had Ducky with them. Ducky and Jen had been asleep when he'd climbed up to the deck, sitting against the port wall, watching the sun come up. He'd been lost in thought until he felt Jen sit next to him, then had smiled at her, wrapped his arms around her, pulled her a little closer, and kissed her. He knew he liked her before that, obviously, but it was the first time that he knew he loved her. He put his head on top of hers, curled up together, relishing the peace, the quiet.

--

"Jethro"

Jenny answered the door, drawing her robe a little tighter around her.

"Can I come in?" He asked hesitantly, not because he didn't really want to, but because he was afraid of her answer.

"Of course." She moved aside, allowing him to enter, standing in the same places as a few days before, after putting Carson to bed, during their talk about 'them'.

They could both hear the radio playing softly in the background. When she had been unable to sleep, she'd come downstairs and turned the radio on, not to jazz, or 'oldies', but his favorite country station, the music almost seeming like a comforting security blanket around them both. An old Lonestar song began to play, quiet, almost as if setting the scene to what each were thinking.

_Tell me what I have to do tonight cause I'd do anything to make it right. Let's be us again._

_I'm sorry for the way I lost my head. I dont why I said the things I said. Lets be us again._

_Here I stand with everything to lose. All I know is I dont wanna ever see the end._

_Baby please, I'm reachin out for you. Won't you open up your heart and let me come back in?_

_Lets be us again_

_Us again_

_Look at me…I'm way past pride. Isn't there some way that we can try to be us again?_

_Even if it takes a while I'll wait right here until I see that smile that says we're us again_

_Here I stand with everything to lose. All I know is I dont wanna ever see the end._

_Baby please, I'm reachin out for you. Won't you open up your heart and let me come back in?_

_Lets be us._

_Baby baby, what would I do? Can't imagine life without you._

_Here I stand with everything to lose. All I know is I dont wanna ever see the end._

_Baby please I'm reachin out for you. Won't you open up your heart and let me come back in?_

_Oh here I am; I'm reachin out for you._

_Won't you open up your heart and let me come back in?_

_Lets be us again._

_Oh, lets be us again._


End file.
